


Shore Leave

by CelestialCepha



Category: No Straight Roads (Video Game)
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Other, Slow Burn, first contribution to a fandom ever and its me winging it on a slow burn, i will definitely have to add more tags as i go on, possible mentions of war, this is chock full of hcs about neon j and his boys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26310208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialCepha/pseuds/CelestialCepha
Summary: Living on the beach had its perks, but you didn't expect one of them to be visits from Neon J, manager of the superstar boyband 1010. As his visits to your shoreline become more frequent you find yourself swept up in a wave of emotion, and you're determined to break through the barriers around his metallic heart.
Relationships: Neon J/Reader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 191





	1. Almost like ships in the night

Buying a beach house was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.

Not that anything was wrong with Vinyl City! You loved it here, you loved all the sights and sounds and you weren’t a stranger to the streets at night. Still, a part of you had longed for a change of pace, and after some years of saving your money you were finally able to buy a home on the outskirts of town, close to the shore. The view at night was amazing, and during the day not many people hung around your part of the beach. It was the perfect place to take things slow for once, and it was just what you needed. You’ve taken up a routine of walking along the shore every night, watching the lights from the city glitter in the waves. It was a peaceful existence you lived. A bit lonely, sure- but you were happy.

You weren’t going to be alone for long, however.

You stepped outside of your house, locking the door and looking out towards the sea. You spotted a figure standing quietly in front of the surf, their cape fluttering in the sea breeze. You recognized him as Neon J, manager of the famous boyband 1010. You didn’t much care for their music but knew enough to recognize him- what was he doing here? You weren’t about to ask him, not wanting to seem like an invasive fan...and frankly, he seemed kinda intimidating. He was rarely ever seen at meetups unless it was to cut them short and he generally avoided the camera like the plague. You didn’t feel like getting yelled at by an angry robot, so you decided to skirt around him and carry on with your nightly walk. When you returned an hour later he was still there, standing still as a statue as he stared out over the sea. He didn’t react to your presence either, and though you should probably have left him alone a part of you wanted to speak to him. You had to wonder what it was like, managing such a famous group...you couldn’t imagine being so busy! He must crave some space away from the hustle and bustle every once in a while...you could relate to that, and against your better judgement you found yourself approaching him. You stood beside him and took in the view for a moment before you spoke.  
“Must be nice to step away for a while, huh?”

He finally regarded your presence, his screen tilted a bit to face you. You noted that on it there was a little green blip close to the center of the sonar, that must have been you. “...excuse me?”  
“Oh, well, not to be rude or anything….but people don’t usually come to my part of the beach.” You realized that sounded a bit accusatory, and took a moment to think of a way to soften it. “ It’s a great place to mellow out! And you seem like the type to need a break...1010 must be hard to manage, yeah? I can understand needing a break every once in a while.” He wasn’t too sure of what to say, people didn’t typically approach him unless they wanted a shot at getting close to 1010. That, and you were surprisingly perceptive for someone that didn’t know him. The crowds his troops gathered often overwhelmed him, and the sea was one of the few things that could reliably calm his nerves. He still wasn’t sure of your intentions speaking to him however...he opted to hold his tongue for the time being. You figured he wasn’t one for conversation, and you stood next to him in silence and watched the neon lights of Vinyl City reflect off of the waves. Neither of you spoke much after that, but after idly checking your phone and realizing the time you figured the least you could do was say goodbye. “Well, uhm...nice meeting you here, sir. I don’t really take to having unwanted visitors in my front yard so to speak, but you’re more than welcome to come admire the view if you want. Besides, you’re out here for the same reason I am...I’m not going to chase a kindred spirit away, y’know?” He’s a bit surprised with how casually you speak to him, you don’t treat him the way the paparazzi or some of 1010’s more devious fans would. Rather than trying to butter him up, he can tell you’re speaking honestly and it’s refreshing. He gave you a slight nod, to which you smiled and waved goodbye as you jogged back to your home. 

You didn’t expect to see much of him after that, nor did you really care about it. He was a busy man after all, and you might have scared him off with the way you treated him. You were the type to treat people as such, celebrity or otherwise you regarded them just as people. When you told your friends your story that night they freaked out, one going so far as to chide you for not trying to get a backstage pass to the next 1010 concert or any exclusive info. You rolled your eyes, you’ve told them again and again that you didn’t care about that stuff, and you knew all too well how much of a pain it was to be bothered when you’re just trying to unwind. Neon J deserved that courtesy and more, and your friends eventually conceded.  
A few nights came and went with no sign of him, and though you felt a bit disappointed you carried on with your life. However, when you stepped out on a clear evening hoping to walk a bit earlier, you were greeted with a familiar figure standing before the sunset. You were surprised, but a part of you was glad that he took up your offer. Things were a bit too empty around here than what you cared to admit and any company was enjoyable, however brief.


	2. Two's Company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! This is more of a filler chapter detailing Neon J's thoughts towards you, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up in a much more timely manner. Also, my 1010 is named as you might have seen in my other fic Waterlogged, but it should be easy to tell who's who as they're still color-based. As always, I hope you enjoy!

Neon J wasn’t too sure why he decided to come back to your beach.  
He had expected you to plaster the tale of meeting him all over the internet- who wouldn’t, in your shoes? He could and should have gone elsewhere at that point, lest he find himself swarmed by crowds and flashing lights. However, the impression he got from you contradicted this, and he was at least a bit curious to see if he was right about you or not. He had just finished overseeing a fan meet and greet for his troops, and the crowds that drew in really put a strain on him. So he found himself on the shore once more, and was pleasantly surprised to find it just as empty as it was the day you spoke to him. The sun setting over the water looked magnificent and he could already feel his stress melting away...but after a short while, his sonar picked up on something. He figured it was you, you did live here after all...and honestly, he wasn’t too worried about you. You didn’t carry that barely restrained and jittery air most others did when it came to interacting with him, and he reasoned that you wouldn’t cause a fuss. And you didn’t! Your little blip came and went on his sonar as you went on a walk, and for once he didn’t feel the need to be on guard. He was content to just stand there and soak in the view until your blip came back into range, and he found that you were approaching him again.

“Oh, you came back! Soaking in the view, huh?”  
You spoke to him as if he was a friend from college you bumped into, it was something he appreciated more than he expected. He simply nodded a bit in response, he didn’t feel the need to state the obvious to you.  
“Sunsets are really nice, there’s something about them that just makes me feel at peace. I guess you feel the same way since you’re here, huh? Views like this really make all that hard work worth it.” You still spoke even though he’s proven that he isn’t the most responsive person, but having something other than the sound of the waves to fill the silence was nice for a change. You two stood in relative silence after that, and as the sun finally sunk into the horizon you turned away to leave.  
“Well, I’m headed home. You take care on your way back!”  
You waved goodbye to him yet again, which he returned with a somewhat stiff wave of his own. He stayed out far longer than what he intended to, but he felt a lot better than how he did when he first arrived here. He’s more willing to chalk that up to him arriving earlier, but maybe having decent company went a long way.

After that, he came by to watch the sea a lot more frequently. Not daily, but every two or three days he’d come out around sunset to gaze at the water. It was always quiet, and you usually came out to go on your walk and greet him. He noticed that you always stopped to say hello and chat with him, even though he rarely spoke to you. Maybe you just felt awkward with the silence or just liked to talk, but he truthfully didn’t mind it when he typically preferred silence. You spoke freely to him about your day or little things you had done, like your recent escapades in baking or your latest excursion in the city. You talked only to fill the space, not thinking he really listened or cared, but he would nod attentively every once in a while. He was beginning to enjoy these little beach sessions in some way, having company that regarded him as a person rather than a celebrity was a change he quite liked. His troops began to notice a slight change in his behavior, he always seemed to be in slightly better spirits when he came back from wherever it was he ran off to when they returned to Barraca Mansion.

“Captain? Where is it that you always go in the evenings?”  
Curiosity laced Blanche’s voice as he leaned over Neon J’s shoulder, watching him fill out paperwork. “Why do you want to know? My business shouldn’t concern you.”  
“Well, we were just wondering! You go out a lot and it seems like you’re having fun, we want to come along too!”  
He pauses, leaning back from his paperwork. Did it really seem that way? It was true that he enjoyed going to the beach, and getting to bump into you wasn’t necessarily a bad thing...but it was just to destress, and nothing more. The beach was dangerous to them, and having a gaggle of robots in your front yard was something he figured you wouldn’t appreciate.   
“No, I would rather be alone and you all have work to do for your upcoming performance. Which you should be working on right now. Unless you need anything else, you are dismissed.”  
“Yes, d-- sir!” Blanche salutes him and leaves his office, figuring that he just didn’t want to admit that he was giving himself a break. He and the rest of 1010 always insisted that he take one, while he insisted that he never needed it. While he was glad that his old man was letting himself take it easy, he had to wonder where he went....maybe he’ll let him in on it another time? If not, well...he was sure his brothers wouldn’t mind joining him in some detective work.

Despite their newfound interest in his evening activities, which were starting to become more of a routine, Neon J still made it a point to go out to your part of the beach. It was steadily becoming a habit rather than a coping mechanism, but there was no way he’d admit that to himself. There WAS a lot of work to be done considering 1010’s upcoming concert, so of course he’d have a reason to come out as often as he did! It was always quiet and free of noise and crowds, which did good for him...and having someone he knew wouldn't annoy him around was refreshing. As much as he loved his boys, there was only so much nonsense he could tolerate.  
“Neon J! Hey!”  
Your voice rang out with its usual cheer, it seems like your walk was finished a bit early this time. Your little blip came close, and he gave you a nod as a greeting. “Hope you’re holding up alright! I heard 1010 has an upcoming concert, that must be a lot of work.” He nods, making a slightly autotuned hum in agreement. “It’s a lot of work, but I’m used to it.” He responded to you for once, which came as a pleasant surprise to you. “Well, being used to it doesn’t make it any less tiring! You’re always welcome to come unwind here. Oh, speaking of which...on my walk today I found something nice!” He regards you curiously, and you dig through your bag and pull out a handful of sand dollars. “Check it! I rarely find these intact!” He stares down at them, and when you offer him one to look at he takes it, however delicately. "You...collect seashells?" The questioning tone from him made you flush a bit in embarrassment, though you weren't too sure why that was. "It might be a bit childish, but yeah! They're pretty little mementos from the sea, and I have to have some kind of hobby out here! I find nice looking ones rarely, I sort of wish I could swim so I could dive for more…" As you ramble on he looks over the sand dollar in silence, and when you give him a somewhat worried look at his silence you find something surprising.

Your blip on his sonar has changed, what was once a featureless white circle now resembles the markings on a sand dollar. You blink in surprise, you're not imagining things are you? "Hey, uh, your sonar…"  
"You're perceptive. I decided to change it to something more fitting to you, I come here enough to know that you're neither a stranger nor a threat." He hands the sand dollar back to you, and you find yourself smiling. You didn't expect a gesture like this out of him, and a part of you was happy to know that on some level he considered you an acquaintance. You were kinda worried he’d be weirded out by you, and as you two settled into silence to watch the sunset you felt happy to have made a friend you could relate to. Sure, he probably wouldn’t have said the same out loud, someone like him didn’t exactly go around making friends, but he at the very least made it clear that your company was something he liked having around- even if it was only for an hour or so.

**Author's Note:**

> Waaah! This is my first time writing a fanfic for a fandom, so I hope you'll all bear with me as I figure things out! I'm very eager to bring this story to you all, and I hope you enjoy it! :]


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